Continuous brick-kiln



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. J OHNSON.A GONTINUoUs BRICK KILN.

No. 472,926. Patente-d Apr. 12, 1892.

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(N0 Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

W. JOHNSON. -GONTINUoUs BRICK KILN.

No. 472,926. Patented Apr. 12,1892.

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WILLIAM JOHNSON, OF LEEDS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE SOMERSET AND .IOHNSO'NBURG MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SOM- ERSET MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTINUOUS BRicK-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,926, dated April 12, 1892.

Application tiled September 3. 1891. Serial No. 404.656. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM JOHNSON, a subjectof the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Leeds, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Kilns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a-full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention/relates to certain new and useful improvements in kilns for burning bricks, tiles, lire-bricks, and the like of that class known as continuous kilns; and it has for its objects, among others, to provide a kiln of this class of peculiar construction whereby the combustible properties of the fuel are fully extracted and the utmost possible heating power is obtained, nothing being allowed to escape or pass away to the chimney beyond a slightly-heated vapor.

It has for a further object to so construct the kiln that the process of tiring, charging, and discharging may be made continuous, thereby avoiding the necessity of having to restart the firing at the beginning end of the kiln each time the whole length is completed. I provide a hot-air iiue surrounding the arched tunnels of the kiln. Hot-air iiues are not new in this connection; but heretofore they have been arranged beneath the tunnel or heating-chamberv and communicated therewith through openings in the doorways of the different sections of the kilns. I arrange my hot-air flue above or near the top of the tunnels and provide communication between this iiue and each chamber by means of inlets, each of which is provided with a damper. By this means the steaming of the goods is effected by the wasting heat from the burned o and cooling section or sections. The dampers in the inlets communicating with the burned-off section or sections are opened, and also those appertaining to the newly-charged section. This permits the hot air to be conveyed along the hot-air flue from the burnedoff section or sections and to be discharged into the green or newly-charged section, all other inlets being closed. The moisture is thoroughly expelled and the goods raised to a high heat. I provide a main central {iue communicating with the chimney, and each chamber or section of the tunnel is connected to said main central liue by means of by-flues, which communicate with the chambers or sections by means of recesses situated in the outer wall near'each wicket and provided each with a damper adapted to be actuated in any suitable manner, preferably from the top of the kiln. I economize space and provide a compact and efficient kiln. p Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel featuresl thereof will be specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which--v Figure l is a vertical longitudinal central section through a kiln constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section through the same. Fig. 3 is a s ection plan on the ground-line. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the top of the kiln,looking from the line cc downward, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a detail view, of the damper.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in which they occur.

In the drawings I have shown what I consider the best form in which my invention may be embodied; but I Wish it understood that I do not intend to restrict myself to any particular shape or size of kiln, as the same type of kiln may be built of dierent shapes and sizes and may be employed for different purposes than for burning bricks, and other classes of goods may be burned therein which require the same or similar treatment or mode of operation. The form shown is the one preferred.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the building, which in this instance is shown as rectangular, inclosing two arched tunnels A', running substantially parallel to each other andjoined or connected together by the semicircular ends A2, the whole forming one continuoustunnel, as

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seen best in Fig. 3. This tunnel is divided' into imaginary chambers or sections, each chamber being furnished with one or more by-flues D, connected to the main longitudinal flue E, which is arranged to one side of Ythe central longitudinal division-wall a, between the two side tunnels, as seen in Fig. 2,

. and ,preferably beneath the said tunnels, as

seenin said Fig. 2. rlhis central main flue communicates with the chimney B, as shown in Fig. This chimney may be situated either inside or outside of the building, as may be preferred. The ilues D communicate'with each chamber or section by means of the recesses or offsets F, as seen best in Figs. 2 and 3, which are formed inthe outer walls near each wicket or doorway C, which are provided in the outer walls for the purposes of communication with the interior of each chamber or section, there being a doorway for each chamber or section, as seen -in Fig. 3. These fines D extend angularly, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to give the maximum amount of heating-surface, and the flues upon opposite sides of the kiln alternate, as indicated in Fig. 3-that is, the points of connection of the said .flueS upon one side with the main central flue are opposite the space between the tlues upon the other side, so that the flues will not interfere the one with the other, and but one-half the length of the main central flue is left between the two. adjacent flue connections that there would be if the flues were not thus alternately arranged. Better draft and more uniform vheating is thus provided.

The iluesD are each provided with a damper J, designed to be actuatedffrom the top of the kiln in any suitable manner, as by the rods G. (See Figs. l and 6.)

For the purpose of firing the kiln, the top of the kiln is provided with a number of firing openings or sockets H, which communicate with each chamber or section, and should be provided with removable covers or caps.

N is a hot-air flue extending aroundthe whole length of theouter wall of the kiln and.

at a point above or near the top of the tunnel, as seen in Figs. l and 2. lt communicates with each chamber or section by means of the passages R, each passage being' provided wit-h a damper S, operated from the top of the kiln in any suitable manner, as by the rods M.

Any preferred form of damper may be used for the hot-air lue and by-flues D. For the lat. ter I prefer that shown in Fig. 6, and in which the damper J has a surrounding-flange j to embrace the upwardly-extending flange j of the frame K, which is formed with horizontal flange 7c, by which it is held in position, vthe depending flange of the damper forming a tight joint around the upwardly-extending flange of the frame and preventing escape of heat. The damper is formed with a central boss c, extending above and below its body portion and through which the damper-rod passes, being provided with jam-nuts or other provisions l for holding the rod in position.

ing made, also, for Ii-ring through the openings H in the roof of the kiln.

On reference to Fig. 4, Ovdesignates a teinv porary Wall or partition built across the tunnel of the kiln about four feet from the face of the bricks or tiles or other goods with which the two sections or chambers` are charged and having two or more' firing-holes. At the terminating end of the two chambers or sections a temporary wall or partition P is built with openings through its bottom. This partition is made thoroughly air-tight, so as to confine the draft within the two chambers or sections in which the firing vis started. The charged sections are then ready for tiring, and the lires are started from the temporary firingholes in thel partition O in front of the first section and continued until the heat inside the two `sections is raisedA to about the required teniperature, when the tire-holes in the partition are closed and the firing continued through the openings H in the roof of the kiln.

Any suitable fuel may be employed; but I prefer very small slack, Which is fed into the openings in any suitable manner, as with a small scoop, a very small quantity being scattered through the holes at periods of about a quarter of an hour. The slack, on being dropped into the heated mass of bricks, with which it comes in contact, is at once formed into a gas and by mixing with the hot air passing from behind ignites, filling the kiln with a bright flame, by which means firing is continued.

During the firing of the-iirst two sections the filling of the adjoining sections or chambers is proceeded with, and when completed,

is made air-tight in the same mannerfas bef fore described, and the openings at the bottom of the preceding partition P are cleared vand the dampers in the newly-prepared section are now raised by means of their rods G and the heat from the previous sections is drawn through the goods in the recently-attached section, which becomes thoroughly heated by the gases which have been admitted, and has its heat kept up or sustained by the process of firing through the holes in the roof, as before described. By this method the process of firing is continued in the various sections, and if the tunnel forming the kiln is made endless, as shown, the burning is made continuous and may therefore be continued for any desired length of time.

By means of the hot-air flue N the heat can be conveyed from any one or more chambers into any other one or more chambers situated in any part of the kiln, and thereby the moisture or steam is thoroughly expelled Vand the goods subjected to a great heat.

It is deemed important that the hot-airline be arranged near the top of the kiln, where it the process ofl IOO IIO

will take the heat from the top thereof, which is of course greater than at the bottom of the kiln and which will morereadily ind its Way into the ue than were itlocated beneath the tunnel as heretofore.

Modificationsl in detail may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as new isl. The combination, With a continuous kiln consisting of parallel tunnels comprising a series of chambers and a hot.- air flue arranged in the outer wall of said kiln, of the main central flue, the by-tlues extending from either side of said main flue and terminating in recesses formed in the outer Wall of each chamber for conveying oit they products of combustion, and dalnpers for closing said byiues, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a continuous kiln consisting of parallel and communicating tunnels comprising a series' of chambers, and a hot-air ue arranged in the outer wall of said kiln, and the main central Hue, ofthe byilues conveying off the products of combusthe surrounding hot-air ue located in thev Wall of the kiln near its top and having lateral connections with the chambers of the kiln, and vertically-operated dampers for said lateral connections, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in `presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM JOHNSON.

` Witnesses:

FRANCIS JoIINsoN, HERBERT ALEXANDER. 

